What is anxiety?

That’s a great question—let’s talk about it.

We all experience anxiety at some point in our lives. Anxiety is our body’s tool to keep us safe. Our bodies are smart. When they detect danger, they increase our heart rate, shift our breathing, and throw us into “fight-or-flight” mode.

Now, if we were being chased by a bear in the woods, that would be incredibly useful. But in 2025, (hopefully) we’re not faced with that kind of dilemma. Still, we can experience a similar response during confrontations with a family member, friend, or coworker. Or, for example, when we’re walking to our car after a late-night concert—we might walk a little faster and become hyper-aware of our surroundings. Sometimes, we experience this feeling when something seemingly neutral reminds us of a time when we were unsafe—due to past trauma or old hurt.

Anxiety helps us stay alert, feel out our environment, and assess for risk—so we can pivot toward safety. Let’s take a moment to thank our bodies for always being in our corner.

When is anxiety a problem?

If you’ve made it this far into the post and are thinking, “Okay, Elena, that’s great. But I still can’t sleep at night, eat a full meal, or stay calm in social situations. And you’re telling me anxiety is useful?”

Yes—but let’s break it down.

Anxiety exists on a spectrum. On one end, we might feel nervous before a presentation, complete it, and then calm down. On the other end, we may have gone through difficult experiences and find that we just can’t seem to move past them. There might be triggering situations where we are objectively safe, but we continue to behave in ways that used to protect us. We may feel constantly on edge, have difficulty relaxing, and assume the worst of other people’s intentions.

Sometimes, our body doesn’t get the memo that we no longer need to fight.

That’s the disconnect that meditation, spirituality, therapy, exercise, and similar practices can help with.

Anxiety is often invisible—but that doesn’t make it any less impactful in our daily lives.

Quick Tips

If you’re feeling anxious and can’t seem to calm yourself down, here are some quick tips that might help:

• Grab an ice pack and place it on your bare chest, forehead, or the back of your neck.
  This sends a physiological signal to your nervous system to enter “reset” mode.

• Move your body.
  Exercise, deep-clean the house, or take the dog for a walk—bonus points if you move until you’re tired. Burning off anxious energy can bring relief.

• Cuddle someone you love (including your pets—it’s time they pulled their weight!)
  Physical connection with a pet or loved one can produce oxytocin, the “love hormone.” It reduces stress and helps ground you in the present moment, rather than the worries in your mind.